Charles Torville was born in Bournemouth, Hampshire England, he was the son of Rose Blanchard Torville and stableman father Robert Torville. His parents separated in 1897 and Charles was sent to an orphanage in London and there received a brief education.
In 1899 Charles was able to emigrate to Halifax and in 1910 took up a homestead in the Milestone district in Saskatchewan where he worked and wrote his poetry and songs, one can easily imagine him filling in empty winter evenings with words, seeking to find the magical combination that would bring him fame and fortune through songs and poetry. Charles Torville had many interests in life and searched for personal truth through mystic and secret societies such as the Order of the Eagle and the Lily and the Mystic Brotherhood University.
Charles wrote and published three volumes of poetry including "Song of my Soul" in 1965. He retired to Regina in 1966.
Upon his death he bequeathed $50,000 to the University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus, which was used to establish the Torville Honour Scholarship, presented annually to a student majoring in English.
In 1962 Phyllis Kristjanson and Dorothy Van Cleave got the idea to start an afternoon curling club for women. By 1963 they had nine of the University’s faculty members’ wives and seven of their neighbors signed up to curl on Wednesday afternoons in the Curlodrome at Regina’s Exhibition Place.
In 1967/68 Dr. William Riddell, then Principal of the University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus donated a trophy to the Lady Curlers to promote friendly competition and social interaction between the University of Saskatchewan team and the Regina team.
In Regina members new to curling were offered instruction by other club members and in the 1970s two-day curling clinics began for those interested in honing their skill.
The University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus Lady Curlers became the University of Regina Ladies Curling Club in 1975, and continued to play against the University of Saskatchewan team in bonspiels and competitions for the Riddell Cup annually. In the1980s, the club became known as the University of Regina Curling Club.
The Regina Campus Faculty Club was incorporated in 1965 as a non-profit private club and was originally located in the Conservatory Building on the University's College Avenue Campus. In 1975 the Club moved to the second floor of the College West Building on the University's main campus and in 1993 became known as the University Club. The Club was managed by a Board of Directors who are appointed for a two year term at the membership’s annual general meeting. The Board of Directors includes a President, Past President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and the members at large. The Board of Directors appoints the University Club Manager to oversee daily operations of the Club.
The Club was a member based non-profit corporation that operated for over 50 years. Two types of memberships were available: U of R Regular (voting) and Associate (non-voting). In 2017 Regular memberships were available to any full time employee of the University of Regina, its affiliated colleges: Campion College, Luther College and the First Nations University of Canada. Associate memberships were available to anyone who did not qualifying for a Regular membership. Associate Memberships were divided into two types, these were a Corporate Membership which was available to corporations and businesses near the University and a Friend of The Club membership was available to retired employees, members of the near-by community who were not employed by the University or its associated colleges. Graduate and undergraduate students (in their 4th year or higher), sessional lecturers and other non-full time employees of the University could also take advantage of this type of membership.
At the time of its closing the main area of the University Club Dining Room had seating for between 60 to 80 people, 20 more seats were located in the Window Room, (which could double as a meeting space), and the Club's lounge could seat up to 40 people. Full-service catering was available for all manner of University-related events or general events held on campus. These services included food, bar service, staff, rentals and décor if needed.
Renovated in 2004 and again in 2010 resulted in additional office space and a new Club entrance where they were able to install coat racks and chairs. The Club ceased to operate in 2017.
On March 1, 2013 the name of the Canadian Plains Research Center (CPRC) Press was changed to the University of Regina Press and launched on June 1, 2013 at the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences held in Victoria, B.C.. The first Director of the University of Regina Press was Bruce Walsh who planned to “build on the publishing program already in place—including books on [Indigenous] issues, the environment, and regional themes—while strengthening the scholarly apparatus of the press.” At its launch the University of Regina Press had a mandate to publish 30 books a year in both academic and trade formats. Since their launch in 2013, the University of Regina Press has published eight national bestsellers, including: “In My Own Moccasins” by Helen Knott (2020); “After the War: Surviving PTSD and Changing Mental Health Culture” by Stéphane Grenier, with Adam Montgomery (2018); “Speaking in Cod Tongues: A Culinary Journey” by Lenore Newman (2017); “Firewater: How Alcohol Is Killing My People (And Yours)” by Harold Johnson (2016); “Otto & Daria: A Wartime Journey into No Man's Land” by Eric Koch (2016); “The Education of Augie Merasty: A Residential School Memoir” by Joseph Auguste Merasty, with David Carpenter (2015); “Children of the Broken Treaty” by Charlie Angus (2015); and “Clearing the Plains” by James Daschuk (2014).
The club now known as University of Regina Women has had various titles, they have been the University of Regina Women's Club, and Faculty Wives’ Club. The group was begun by women who were socially aware, who saw in their communities the necessity for taking leadership roles that could bring more focus to the needs and concerns of their community.
The first meeting of 16 women was held in November 1915 where it was decided that the objectives would include stimulating intellectual growth in women while at the same time advancing culture, and educational learning of the community thereby promoting civic reform. They worked for the war effort, peace, public education, immigration and social welfare, the group altered its focus when and where necessary.
Membership in the Club is open to all women employed at the University as well as those employed on either the College Avenue Campus or the Main Campus. The club offers support, assistance and fellowship to new teaching staff and their wives, they also act as a service group to assist with Convocation Teas and other University related events. They also continuously raise money for scholarships and bursaries.
In 1992, the University Women's Club of Regina changed its name to the Canadian Federation of University Women, this change of name, it was felt, better reflected the national relationship of the group to other branches.